Is Cussing A Sin?

Answer: Thank you for the question Deb.

Cussing is not very Godly, and Christians shouldn’t do it, but it’s not necessarily a sin either. We’re going to dive into Scripture, but let’s begin by putting this into perspective.

Sin

What is a sin?

“Sin is the transgression of the law,” and “the wages of sin is death.”

1 John 3:4, Romans 6:23

You won’t find a single law in the Bible that says cussing is a sin. Further, God is not going to send someone to their eternal grave because they said s***. That doesn’t mean you should run around using profanity though.

Keep in mind, if our words of any kind, or our actions cause another Christian to stumble and fall away from Jesus, then that is a sin on our part, (1 Corinthians 8:6-13).

Moreover, what we call a cuss word means nothing in another language. It just depends on the culture and the language. In the Asian culture, it’s extremely offensive to touch someone’s head. In our culture, we don’t really think of it as being so offensive.

When we get right down to it, a cuss word is a word of expression. If I smashed my finger while working in the shop, and said f***, that’s definitely a slip of the tongue. It’s also how I ended up expressing myself. A better word could have been used, but that certainly doesn’t qualify as a “sin.”

Again, the sin comes in when we offend a brother and cause him to stumble due to our actions. It all comes down to how our actions are perceived, and we are supposed to “abstain from all appearance of evil,” (1 Thessalonians 5:22).

No Corrupt Communication

Please turn your Bible with me to,

Ephesians 4:29
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Corrupt communication does not have to be a curse words.

It’s any communication that you use which causes harm to someone else. Some individuals use vile and hateful words, though they are not cuss words. Christians should strive to use positive communication that uplifts, that which is acceptable to the hearers and the young in Christ.

No Cursing

Turn your Bible with me to,

James 3:9
Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

The word “curse” here is not talking about words like f***.

“Curse” means to “execrate” which is to, “imprecate evil upon” someone. That’s far worse than saying cuss words. This verse is saying, in one breath we praise God, but in the next, we speak evil (curse) of our brother who is made in the image of God.

James 3:10-11
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?

Think about that.

Sweet and bitter water do not come from the same place. Just as we cannot serve two masters, (Matthew 6:24). If there is wickedness in someone’s heart, that is where the offense and sin lies. It becomes evident when it makes its presence known through their mouth.

James 3:12
Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

You notice, we are not talking about cuss words necessarily. It is any speech that is used to speak evil of someone. It is speech designed to tear someone down.

Our Words Come From The Heart

Let’s see what Jesus has to say about corrupt communication.

Matthew 15:18
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

Jesus was telling the Pharisees, the words we use come straight from our heart. It doesn’t matter if we are cussing at someone or using other words to speak evil. Those are all signs of someone who is unrighteous.

Matthew 15:19-20
19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

Plainly stated, using cuss words, or any other words with evil intent is a sin. If I was purposely trying to harm someone, and I called them a “worthless weasel,” I didn’t say a single cuss word. However, the intent was to harm them and that would defile myself.

Offending Our Brother Is A Sin

Let’s have one more example.

In 1 Corinthians 8, Paul explains there is only one God, Jehovah. So if an animal is sacrificed to an idol, we can eat it, as their idol means nothing to us, (1 Corinthians 8:7-13).

However, if we are a knowledgeable Christian, and a brother weak in the faith sees us eating an animal that was sacrificed. They are going to be appalled, and they may even fall away from the faith.

While it’s our freedom to eat that animal, it becomes “a stumblingblock to them that are weak,” (1 Corinthians 8:9). In essence, that makes you the stumblingblock.

Look at this.

1 Corinthians 8:12
But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

If we offend our brother to that degree, then we have sinned against Jesus Christ. In fact,

“Any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak” is a sin.

Romans 14:21, 1 Corinthians 8:12

If meat makes your brother fall away, don’t eat it. If saying a cuss word causes your brother to become offended, do not say them, or any other language that may be perceived as offensive to them.

So what should we do?

“Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.”

Romans 14:19

As Christians, our goal is to build up, not tear down.

Summary

To sum up, using a form of expression is not a sin, but if our words and actions cause our brother to stumble, then it becomes a sin to us. I am not condoning swearing or encouraging anyone to use foul language. Christians should refrain from cussing.

I am simply pointing out, cussing is not a sin to death. As Christians, I think it’s important that we don’t overplay what is, and what is not a sin. We are real people who live in the real world. Our goal is to bring people into the faith, not build up unrealistic walls against it.

Always remember, we are to be Christ like, and Jesus certainly did not sit around the campfire cussing along with the Disciples.